Print media cartridge with integral print media and collapsing ink supply chambers

ABSTRACT

A cartridge for use with a digital printing device includes a casing that incorporates an ink storage portion and a print media storage portion. The ink storage portion includes at least one ink chamber in which ink of a particular color is stored and that defines a print media exit opening so that the print media can be fed from the casing. A nozzle arrangement is connected to the ink storage portion so that ink can be fed from the, or each, ink chamber. A collapsible structure is received in the, or each respective, ink chamber, and is configured to encapsulate the ink and to collapse as said ink is fed from the ink chamber.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation application of U.S.application Ser. No. 10/659,020, filed on Sep. 11, 2003, which is acontinuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/436,508 filedon Sep. 9, 1999, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,529, the entirecontents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to print media supply cartridges forprinters.

The invention has been developed primarily for use as a combined paperand ink supply cartridge and will be described hereinafter withreference to this particular preferred form. However, it will beappreciated that the inventive concept is applicable to all print mediacartridges including those without an integral ink supply.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a digital cartridge for aprinting device, the cartridge including a casing having:

a first portion for housing therein a supply of print media;

a print media exit opening; and

an integral media transport mechanism disposed upon operation to pick upand drive an amount of said print media through said exit opening.

In the preferred form, the cartridge includes a second storage portionfor housing therein a supply of ink.

Desirably, the print media transport mechanism comprises a pick uproller assembly and more particularly includes:

a drive shaft;

pick up rollers secured to the drive shaft; and

a drive gear, the shaft and rollers being captively supported within thecasing.

Preferably the drive gear is positioned to be external to the casing toengage a powered corresponding gear provided on the printing device withwhich it is to be used. Alternatively an opening may be provided in thecasing to facilitate this engagement with the powered gear of theprinter device.

Desirably, the ink storage portion is segregated into a plurality ofdistinct chambers for storing a supply of different colored inks.

Preferably, the ink is stored within the second ink storage portion in acollapsible bladder. The bladder may be in the form of a fully flexiblesealed bag which locates within an external rigid casing. Morepreferably, the ink can be stored within a region defined on one side bya rigid portion of the casing to which has been sealed a collapsiblemembrane which defines the other side. Desirably, at least a portion ofthe rigid housing adjacent the side of the collapsible membrane or bagthat is not in fluid communication with the ink, includes vent means tofacilitate ingress of air to allow the membrane to collapse as the inksupply is consumed.

In the preferred form, the ink storage portion also includes one or moreink outlets each having a seal which is pierceable upon connection withthe printing device. Desirably, these outlets are in the form of nozzleconnections adapted for attachment with an ink distribution connectionprovided on the printer.

Preferably, the digital printing device is a drop-on-demand ink jetprinting device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a cartridge in accordance with theinvention;

FIG. 2 is an inverted perspective view of the cartridge shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective top view shown in the same orientationas that shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded inverted perspective view shown in the sameorientation as FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the cartridge of the previous figures;

FIG. 6 is a right hand side view of the cartridge shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an inverted plan view of the cartridge of the previousfigures;

FIG. 8 is a left hand side view of the same cartridge;

FIG. 9 is a front view of the same cartridge;

FIG. 10 is a rear view of the same cartridge;

FIG. 11 is a sectional rear view taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 12 is a sectional side view taken on line 12-12 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED AND OTHER EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a cartridge 1 for a printingdevice including a casing shown generally at 2. In the illustratedpreferred form, the casing is divided into two main portions comprising,a print media supply portion 3 for housing sheets of paper and the like,and a second storage portion 4 for housing an ink supply. This cartridgeis designed for use with digital printing devices, and is particularlysuitable for drop-on-demand ink jet printing devices.

The casing 2 also defines a print media exit opening 5 that connectswith the print media storage portion 3 and a print media transportmechanism shown generally at 7. This transport mechanism is disposedwithin the print media housing portion 3 adjacent the print media exit5, such that upon operation it picks up and drives the print media 8 outthrough the print media exit opening.

Turning first to consider the elements of the print media storageportion of the cartridge, it can be seen to comprise a media top molding10 which mates with a corresponding bottom molding 11. In this mannerthe moldings combine to define a generally rectangular print mediastorage region 12 in which is housed print media in the form of a stackof paper sheets or cards.

The top and bottom moldings 10 and 11 are both configured at a front endto define, in combination, the print media exit opening 5. In use, thestack of cards 8 are disposed within the storage region 12. These arebiased downwardly toward engagement with an upper surface 14 of thebottom molding 11 by means of thin metal springs 15 which bear againstan inner lower surface 16 of the top molding 10.

The print media transport mechanism of the preferred form illustrated isin the form of a geared pick up roller assembly 18. This assemblyincludes a drive shaft 19, pick up rollers 20 that are rigidly securedto the drive shaft, and an external drive gear 21.

The transport assembly 18 is captively retained within the casingportion formed by the top and bottom print media moldings, the driveshaft 19 being rotatably supported by means of arcuate ribs 22 formed ina channel 23 located beneath the exit opening 5. The top molding fullyencloses the portion of the drive shaft holding the pick up rollers 20,but leaves the external drive gear 21 exposed as shown. In an alternateform, the drive gear may be accessed via an opening in the casing forengagement with a corresponding powered roller on the printer device. Aplastic or metal foil 25 is also provided adjacent the exit opening 5.This foil is sized to extend downwardly across the exit such that oncethe transport mechanism is operated, only a single sheet of paper orcard is driven through the exit at any one time.

The ink storage portion 4 is similarly defined by two separate moldingsforming part of the cartridge casing. The primary molding is the inkstorage base molding 26 which is configured to define a plurality ofdistinct ink chambers 27. Ultimately, the chambers are sealed by director indirect connection of this base molding 26 to a cover molding, whichin this preferred form is provided by an underside 28 of the print mediastorage bottom molding 11.

In the preferred form shown, the connection of the two moldings isindirect, as there is provided an intermediate thin walled deformablefilm 30 which is preferably initially contoured to nest within the inkchambers 27 defined in the base molding 26. During assembly, the basemolding 26 is sealingly connected with a flange 31 provided around theperiphery of the thin walled deformable film 30 which in turn issealingly connected with the underside 28 of the print media storagebottom molding 11.

As can be seen from the drawings, the ink chambers base molding 27preferably extends beyond the peripheral edge of the print media storageregion above, so as to define an ink supply connection manifold region32. The upper portion of the manifold 32 is formed as an extension 33 ofthe print media storage bottom molding 11 and includes thereon aplurality of ink connection nozzles 34 which are closed by means ofpierceable ink seals 35. In use the ink is stored above the deformablefilm and is thereby in fluid communication with the ink connectionnozzles 34. In order to facilitate collapsing of the deformable film 30as the ink is withdrawn, air vents 37 are provided in the ink storagebase molding 26, preferably at the end remote from the ink nozzles. Thevarious components of the cartridge casing can be assembled by anysuitable means including use of adhesives, ultrasonic welding ormechanical fasteners or the like.

A preferred application of the cartridge of the invention ashereinbefore described is for use in a video games console having anintegral printer of the kind described in Australian provisional patentapplication PP7020 and corresponding US application entitled “A videogame console with integral printer device” filed concurrently herewith,the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

In use, the cartridge of the invention is inserted into an appropriatelyconfigured printer device whereby the drive gear 21 aligns with andengages a corresponding driven gear provided on the printer mechanism.The advantages of this configuration are numerous. Most importantly, theprovision of the transportation means within the cartridge, ensures thatthe paper or other print media is fed out of the cartridge accuratelyand with minimum initial contamination, as the mechanism and print mediaare housed within an enclosed unit. In cartridges of the prior art, thecartridge is pressed onto a pick up roller mounted in the printerdevice, which exposes the paper on the underside. By contrast, thepresent design allows for greater structural integrity as there is noneed to provide an opening that exposes the print media to that sameextent. Further, the design provides for a tamper proof unit.

Additional advantages relating to the preferred forms include theprovision of seals over the ink outlet nozzles that are pierceableautomatically by the printer mechanism upon loading. In this regard, thecartridge is intended only as a single use product. Additionally, thestructure of the ink chamber molding whereby the deformable film andbase can be molded or joined in a simultaneous operation to form acompletely sealed ink chamber, clearly offers manufacturing cost andefficiency advantages.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that whilst theinvention has been described with reference to a specific example, theconcept can be embodied in many other forms. For example, the printmedia transport mechanism need not be limited to a pick up rollermechanism, but could include any other suitable mechanisms which can beexternally driven from outside the cartridge casing. Similarly, themeans of storage of the ink is not limited to the form described andcould include the use of other deformable or non-deformable storagemeans. Accordingly, the preferred embodiment described should beconsidered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive.

1. A cartridge for use with a digital printing device, the cartridgecomprising: a casing that incorporates an ink storage portion and aprint media storage portion, the ink storage portion including an inkchamber base molding and a cover molding, at least one ink chamberdefined between the base molding and the cover molding in which ink of aparticular color is stored; and a nozzle arrangement connected to theink storage portion so that ink can be fed from the, or each, inkchamber, wherein a collapsible structure sealingly received between thebase molding and the cover molding and configured to collapse as saidink is fed from the, or each respective ink chamber.
 2. A cartridge asclaimed in claim 1, in which the, or each, collapsible structure is amembrane that spans the respective ink chamber.
 3. A cartridge asclaimed in claim 1, in which the ink storage portion includes aplurality of ink chambers in which respective inks can be stored.
 4. Acartridge as claimed in claim 1, in which the print media storageportion is configured to store a stack of sheets of print media.
 5. Acartridge as claimed in claim 4, which includes a print media transportassembly arranged in the casing to engage with a powered gear providedon the printing device with which the cartridge is to be used, thetransport assembly being configured to be driven by the powered gearthereby to drive the print media from the casing.
 6. A cartridge asclaimed in claim 5 wherein said transport assembly includes: a driveshaft; a drive gear coupled to the drive shaft; and pick up rollersrigidly connected with said drive shaft.
 7. A cartridge according toclaim 1 including at least one air vent in at least one of the basemolding and cover molding.